Estimating the Requirement of Protein for Maintenance and Growth of Female Buffalo Calves

Thirty female buffalo calves of l-l½yr. of age were selected and alioted to 3 groups of 10 each. The animals ol group I were fed individually as per ICAR standard and those in Groups II and HI were fed on 22% higher and 25% less CP, respectively, The growth rates were472.22±18.31,509.99±13.09and 403.33±10.22 g/day in group I, II and III, respectively. Nitrogen balance (g/kgW^0.75/day) was 0.53±0.01,0.70±0.01 and 0.41±0.01 in group I, II and III, respectively. There waa significant (P<0.01) effect of protein level on nitrogen balance. Endogenous nitrogen losses were 0.30g/100g DMI in faeces and 0.0lg/kgW^0.75/day in urine. Regression of metabolic body size and live weight gain over CP and DCP intake gave the maintenance requirement (g/kgW^0.75/day) as 3.40 and 1.11. The DCP requirement for maintenance and growth was 245.40g/d for a calf weighing 102 kg body weight and gaining at the rate of 461.84 g/day.